Do Written Interventions Discourage Inappropriate Screening?

Reducing use of low-value screening tests (i.e., those that result in net harm or offer only a small possible benefit) requires effective interventions to change patient behavior. In this study, researchers evaluated four different ways to present evidence-based information to patients on risks and benefits of three such screening tests: prostate cancer screening in middle-aged men (age range, 50–69), osteoporosis screening in low-risk middle-aged women (age range, 50–64), and colorectal cancer screening in elders (age range, 76–85).

Nearly 800 participants — all eligible for screening and most with college degrees — were randomized to receive one of four one-page patient information sheets; all the sheets tended to discourage these tests fo…